On Sunday, Jan. 11, a group of about 50 Massachusetts residents stood at the intersection of Beacon Street and Chestnut Hill Avenue. They were protesting the killing of Renee Good, a 36-year-old mother of three and U.S. citizen from Minnesota who was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis on Jan. 7, 2026. Many said they were unhappy with the growing presence of ICE in the United States.
The majority of the signs carried messages against ICE, criticizing its recent actions and demanding its removal from all American communities. The protest was organized and promoted on the website Indivisible, a platform created in response to the election of President Donald Trump, where thousands of group leaders and more than a million members share information about protests, elect local champions and take action against the Republican party’s agenda.
During the protest, cars drove by the intersection honking, waving and showing support for the residents’ actions. West Roxbury resident Deanne Sullivan expressed her dissatisfaction with the political actions of the administration and their impact on communities nationwide.
“I came here because I am horrified at what happened to Renee Good, and I considered it a murder. I am horrified at what ICE is doing to intimidate people in this country,” Sullivan said. “This isn’t the America I grew up in, and this isn’t the America that we should be living in now. We need to treat all people with respect and kindness, and there is no empathy left.”
Brighton resident Patrick Kennedy expressed similar sentiments against the administration.
“[The administration] doesn’t seem to be really enforcing laws; it seems to be attacking blue states, really. [The shooting] seems like an attack on our economy, our people physically; they’re now even murdering people,” Kennedy said.
Federal officials claim the agent acted out of self-defense, while eyewitnesses and video analysis suggest Good attempted to drive away before being shot at close range. The protests in Brookline were one of many around the United States.
Sullivan said that she hoped people would see the small group and be motivated to join next time, allowing the protests to grow and have Republicans and Congress listen and end what she called a “nightmare” to live in.
“I’m delighted to see the people that I’m seeing here today, and hopefully this makes a difference, so we can turn the tide. I think it’s so important that young people engage with their community, engage in politics and pay attention to what’s going on,” Sullivan said. “But this is also a vigil for Renee Good. Rest her soul. It was in the service of her country that she died.”
While some attendants were young, the majority of protestors ranged from ages 50 to 70. Protester Jan Scafer said that while she was thankful to see the support of the community, she wished to see more young people participate in the movement. By participating in the protest, Scafer said she hoped to show the community the importance of protesting against systemic violence and send a message to government officials.
“Everything we do is peaceful. That’s a message that whoever organizes a protest always tells us at the beginning. But all through history, that’s when people stand up for their rights, and they do it in a way that doesn’t threaten other people with violence. That [is when] we will win our rights,” Scafer said. “Students are what made the difference in the 1970s. Students make the difference.”
Kennedy also said she wanted more young people to be involved in protests.
“You don’t have to be an activist with a capital A, you know what I mean? I think it’s okay to just be a regular person, and when you get to carve out some time to do it, get out there and make it [happen], and call your legislators,” Kennedy said. “There are other things you can do too, not just go to a protest. It’s worth the effort to get out there and do something about it, instead of just being despondent.”
